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Parenting With a Smartphone

I love this Time Magazine (online) article aptly written by Rachel Simmons, co-founder of Girls Leadership Institute and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls and The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence. I read it like three times! LOL!

Even her article’s sub-title is an awesome slogan: “Here’s why being on your phone doesn’t make you a bad parent.”

She writes that a lot of journalists and would-be parenting experts are asking parents to stop using their phones in front of their kids. “They say it makes kids feel less loved, and teaches the wrong lessons about how to use devices.” Her answer? “No. Noooooo. Noooooooooooooooo.” Hahaha!

Simmons says parenting can be boring, like when you’re pushing a stroller the entire morning which is similar to watching paint dry. “Hell yes I’m going to be on my phone.”

Another quip is not to make her daughter the center of her attention the entire day. “My daughter’s name is Estee, not Lady Mary, and I am not her valet, at her beck and call.”

Other reasons Simmons writes in her article are titles “My kid could use some space” and “I have a job.” In the end, it’s a matter of balancing the act and the practicalities of using your phone and parenting. “Instead of telling me everything I’m doing wrong as a mom, it’d be nice if someone cut me a break and told me what I’m doing right. It’s enough to make you want to find a volleyball for company.” – You have to read her article to understand what the volleyball is all about.